Mitch’s Pitches

Let me pitch you something: People —coaches, referees and sport organizations —should lighten up on players and not scrutinize them for showcasing their emotions.

This NFL season I have seen more ludicrous fines and penalties for celebrations than I have ever seen before.

to compete. She’s a crazy athlete,” Izquierdo said. “When she played here for two years she didn’t lose a single match, so she’s definitely someone I look up to.”

Win or lose, Boykin keeps her head up during and after a game. When inspiration is needed she turns to Dory, from “Finding Nemo,” and her mantra, ‘Just keep swimming’, instead she tells herself, ‘just keep going, just keep going.’

“I treat every point the same. Obviously when you lose you’re disappointed, but if we are fortunate to play them again then we know what they’re going to do,” Boykin said. “But if we lose, then I just look at it like you know what they outworked me, I just got beat, I didn’t lose, I just got beat. The following week you just go hard.”

If Boykin’s not coaching or hitting the ball over the net, she has an obsession for shopping and makeup. An afternoon stroll to the nail salon is her ideal day.

Eating healthy and having a nutritional diet is a must for Boykin, although her love for carbs can make her have more than one cheat day a month.

“For volleyball, we need to stay hydrated and eat right. We’re all out for cheat days! It’s how disciplined you are, although I’ve cheated a few times,” Boykin added.

The NFL (aka the “No Fun League”) recently fined New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. $24,309 for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for —wait for it — removing his helmet after scoring a game winning touchdown last week. Meanwhile, a week earlier, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Fletcher Cox, was only fined $9,115 for a late hit on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Call me crazy, but I think potentially injuring the most protected player on the field is worth a heavier fine than just removing your helmet in celebration?

Speaking of Odell, he has been been criticized tremendously for showcasing his emotions on the field. Between hitting a kicking net, hugging a kicking net, sleeping under a kicking net, proposing (yes, as in marriage) to a kicking net, crying after a loss and some unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. His critics have labeled him a “diva,” “attention-seeker,” “distraction,” but he is actually a beacon of fire that ignites his teammates by his undoubtable passion for the game, such is the case for all emotional players.

As a fan, I would much rather see my teams players exerting their emotions, rather than standing lifelessly in utter daze.

Players have the ability to fire up a fan base, and when people criticize and try to prevent players from being themselves on the field, it is taking away from the ultimate purpose of why players got into the sport, and that is to have fun.

Let the players, twerk, dance, shake and sizzle when they score, as long as it harbors no malicious intent.